While preparing to enjoy Summer here are your June lawn and garden tips to make it even better in the lawn and garden.
JUNE WEATHER FOR JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA
Summer begins on the Summer Solstice, June 21, the year’s longest day. And June 1 is the official start of hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting an active season with 19 named storms. “The past six years have had more U.S. land-falling category 4 and 5 hurricanes than the past 50 years combined,’ according to New4Jax. Temperatures were average for May. However, the rainfall was two inches higher than usual. Nearly all of it fell in three days during the latter half of the month. The rainy season in Jacksonville begins in June, averaging 7.5 inches of rain, but last June racked up just under 10 inches of precipitation. How many inches will fall this June, and can your drainage system handle it if the storms bring as much rain in as short a period of time as they did last month? Frequent light rains are better than drought, followed by storm flooding. Plants can become heat-stressed during extended dry periods. Heavy and infrequent rain increases the likelihood of flooding and stormwater runoff carrying soil nutrients and fertilizers away, weakening your landscape and causing pollution downstream. Although area water restrictions limit lawn irrigation to twice per week watering, make sure the lawn is getting full coverage from the sprinkler heads. New plantings, transplants, and dry spots in the lawn require supplemental hand watering.
JUNE PLANTINGS FOR JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA Cool-season vegetables and annuals are out for the June planting schedule. However, our subtropical climate in Northeast Florida during the month of June is perfect for planting shrubs, fruit-bearing & flower trees, palms, and Summer & Fall blooming perennials. Matt, Rhonda, and Dennis are combing through availability lists of growers’ inventories to provide you with a big selection of planting options right for the season you visit the Earth Works garden center.
JUNE PRUNING & DRAINAGE SOLUTIONS FOR JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA You may have gotten a preview of drainage problems on your property during the heavy rains of May. Ensure no leaves, limbs, or debris clog up the gutters that are designed to drain water away from your home and other structures. Suppose your French drains and drain boxes have gotten covered or filled with dirt and debris. In that case, they need to be cleaned out before heavy rains. That will reduce the risk of flooding, and standing water, which quickly suffocates lawn turf and other vegetation and is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and fungus. Consider Earth Works typical drainage solutions and schedule a design consultation if necessary. If you are already having issues with insect infestations and fungi visit our garden center and speak with one of our garden center associates about our fungicides and other helpful products and how to use them.
Have gutters cleaned out to avoid drainage problems.
Remember that the five D’s of pruning are to do so when they are dead, dying, damaged, disfigured, or showing signs of diseased wood. Your Spring bloomers should typically already be pruned as they set buds on old wood. In contrast, Summer bloomers won’t set bloom until Winter or early Spring. Also, check your trees for boring insects that can weaken them and cause limbs or trees to fall in high winds. While a stately oak can live over 100 years, it can be weakened by nutritional deficiencies and insect infestations. As a result, they can become waterlogged and drop damaging limbs in bad weather.
JUNE FERTILIZATION & SOIL AMENDMENTS FOR JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA Non-native plants unaccustomed to area soil and climatic conditions benefit significantly from fertilizers with specific blends of macronutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, & Potassium) and micronutrients (calcium, magnesium, and sulfur). Plant lovers often complicate their landscape designs by mixing many varieties of plants and grouping them based on looks rather than nutritional needs resulting in more work and upkeep. Earth Works landscape designers work with clients creating designs that take into account what the homeowner wants and what the plants need. Sun, wind, temperature, and soil conditions make every landscape someone different, with microclimates varying significantly from one yard and region of town to the next. If you aren’t an avid gardener and don’t have the time to invest in your garden, a landscape design plan, installation, and lawn care services are for you. If you want to build on your gardening success stories or start anew, visit our garden center and bring your questions to our friendly staff.
JUNE POND CARE FOR JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA One essential item of June pond care is ensuring you have an adequate oxygen supply. Dissolved oxygen levels in pond water can reach dangerously low levels for fish as water temperature increases. Adding supplemental aeration can improve fish health and improve water clarity. “Aeration does not only enhance water quality by stabilizing pH, reducing alkalinity, preventing anaerobic conditions, and removing carbon dioxide, but can also greatly decrease the cost of pond treatments,” according to Hoffman’s Waterxscapes. There are many aeration kits on the market that Earth Works makes available for purchase at our pond store to improve your pond water quality. Learn more about the science of dissolved oxygen in ponds from our blog “Low Dissolved Oxygen: Koi Summer.”
The Jax Pond Tour hosted by Earth Works on Saturday, June 11 is your opportunity to get ideas for building a pond or water feature that suits you or possibly upgrading an existing one. The ponds are typically cleaned during the cooler months making June a great month to see Earth Works pond designs at their peak performance. Please bring your questions to the pond owners and consider their advice.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Brighten up those shady areas in May with a container full of colorful plants. This recipe will do fantastic in dappled light conditions or can even take a few hours of the morning sun. This design combines rich burgundy with deep pinks and bright shades of green for contrast.
Cordyline Auntie Lou, with its rich burgundy leaves, makes the perfect backdrop for this part shade color combo.
Hydrangea Summer Crush®, one of the “Endless Summer Series” with its floral quality raspberry blooms, and compact size is an excellent choice for container gardening.
Caladium Heart & Soul® from Proven Winners is a sun or shade caladium variety. Its splashy leaves make a great contrast against the burgundy Auntie Lou.
Creeping Jenny is a favorite spiller for container gardens. Although it can be in the sun, partial shade is best in the heat of the summer.
Sunpatiens® Pink Candy or any impatient in the pink family will add a constant colorful bloom to the mix.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
We open May Lawn and Garden Tips recognizing that Mothers Day arrives on the second Sunday of this month the second and final month of Spring before the heat and showers of Summer arrive. Daily high and low temperatures increase 5-10 degrees, typically averaging between 70°F and 87°F. As traffic at the neighborhood garden center suggests, May is prime time for working in your yard, and tending to the lawn and garden ahead of Summer. While April rainfall was 5.22 inches and on paper exceeding the 2.93 inch average for the month, 4.5 inches of it came down in only today’s, April 7 & 17. Heavy rain for a few hours followed by days of drought conditions results in soil erosion and stormwater runoff that isn’t optimum for landscapes or the environment. The other four days of rain in April were clustered together with long dry spells most of the month. Our lawns and gardens do better with three weekly rain events that for best results require supplemental irrigation and hand watering during dry periods. Don’t wait until after the damage is done. Look for signs of heat stress and supplement your plant’s water supply, which besides hydration reduces their susceptibility to pests and disease. May is normally slightly drier than April ahead of nearly tripling the rainfall during June and July, when monthly rainfall averages are 6.5 inches. Hurricane Season starts June 1.
MAY LAWN AND GARDEN TIPS: PLANTINGS Suppose you didn’t get your pollinator-attracting flowering perennials and annuals planted in April. May is a good time in the middle of Spring to keep planting. A few of the long list of bloomers ready to pick out and plant from the Earth Works garden center include Begonias, bougainvillea, coleus, coral honeysuckle, cuphea, hibiscus, lantana, mandevilla, milkweed, passion vines, roses, and salvia. Did we mention palm trees? Yes, we have a wide selection of both small and large, container and field-grown palm trees in stock with designers and staff that can pair you up with the right variety. How about houseplants? Did you make it to our Houseplant Social? Lots of great houseplants are in stock.
It’s not too late to grow herbs and vegetables. While it can be a little late for tomatoes that don’t like the oppressive heat of summer switch from planting seeds to growing seedlings that already have a good start in their growing cycle. Container gardening is a terrific option for starting a wide variety of plants. It allows you to move them to varied light positions and see where they are best suited for your landscape design. Earth Works garden center, landscape designers, and lawn care staff are available to assist you in developing a beautiful, healthy, and manageable lawn and garden.
MAY LAWN AND GARDEN TIPS: PRUNING
In May, your plants should already be putting out new growth, and for ones that aren’t, look for Winter cold, disease, or parasite damage. Prune your spring flowering plants and hedge plants such as azaleas and oleander back after blooming to allow maximum growth ahead of their next bloom cycle on new growth. Remove dead, damaged, and diseased growth. Consider sterilizing your lawn and garden equipment with diluted chlorine/bleach solution to avoid transferring fungus, disease, pests, and parasites from one shrub or plant to another.
MAY LAWN AND GARDEN TIPS: FERTILIZATION
Your fertilization needs are going to depend on the nutrient requirements of your specific plants, soil composition, and fertility. Native plants are adapted to local soil conditions and need less fertilization than plants categorized as moderate and heavy feeders. Heavy feeders such as fruits, vegetables and flowering ornamentals benefit from weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly fertilization that can include a combination of foliar sprays, teas, and time-release granular. We recommend Espoma Organic’s full line of products enriched with beneficial mycorrhizae fungi for improving root function. We stock Espoma OrganicsBiotone for new plantings planting and other formulations to fertilize established plants.
“Macronutrients are essential for plant growth and a good overall state of the plant,” according to AGQ Labs. “The primary macronutrients are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Of the 60 chemical elements that comprise plants, 16 of them are essential. Of those 16, some are extracted from the air in the form of CO2 or water. These are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. If for now we set aside leaf fertilization and the three above-mentioned elements, the remaining 13 are extracted from the soil. These are divided into macronutrients and micronutrients, all of which are essential for crops.”
Soil pH can bind up nutrients, making them unavailable in slow-release granular. In contrast, foliar sprays deliver those same micronutrients to the plant. Thus, it’s also essential to know your soil pH, a free test with recommendations for amendments where necessary by the University of Florida is encouraged. For more information, read “Soil Testing in Northeast Florida.”
MAY LAWN & GARDEN TIPS: PEST CONTROL
If your soil forms crusts and pools water, it’s compacted and not allowing proper percolation or nutrient absorption. Consider doing core aeration and top dressing to increase the organic matter in your soil and improve soil retention and the bioavailability of micro-nutrients. Be on the lookout for signs of weeds, insects, mold, and fungus in the lawn and garden. We recommend treating Leaf miners and other varieties of sapsuckers with Spinosad, a derivative of the soil bacterium Saccharopolyspora available in Capt. Jacks Deadbug Brew. Protect pollinators and other beneficial insects by reducing reliance on synthetic controls with spot treatments of organic solutions of neem oil and the beneficial bacteria strain Bacillus thuringiensis sold by Bonide as BT. Be on the lookout for pests and address their potential threats in advance of infestations.
When using weed and feed products in May avoid those with a pre-emergent herbicide and opt instead for the post-emergent as temperatures are above 55F. Reduce plant stress and susceptibility to pests by planting in the best light position and fertilizing appropriately for that specific plant variety. Get a quote for Earth Works Lawn Fertilization and Pest Control service.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
The warm weather has arrived. Here is the perfect planter to soak up the heat! The mixture of warm tones and hot colors creates that tropical feel, and the copper-toned pot adds a touch of glamour. Of course, this combo would look fabulous in just about any container. Although this recipe uses full-sun plants, a little afternoon shade will help keep it blooming until the next frost.
1. Canna Lily’slarge tropical leaves and tall, striking blooms thrill.
2. Bronze Coleus fills in with nice contrasting color and texture from the canna leaves.
3. Sunpatiens will fill and spill with bright blooms covering the plant.
4. Gold Lantanais a hardy heat-loving bloomer that will bring in the butterflies.
Design tip:If your planter is against a wall, place the canna lilies in the back. For a pot seen from all sides, plant in a centered format.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Spring has sprung as we are into April, our first month of Spring, as gardeners rush to tend to all our lawn and garden care needs here in Jacksonville and surrounding areas. Lawn and garden tips would not be complete if we didn’t start by encouraging you to make a plan for all you want to accomplish in the lawn and garden, pay attention to local weather, start planting and tending to fertilization, pruning, and pest control needs.
Making A Plan: Failure to Plan is Planning to Fail
While people acknowledge the need for an architectural design plan before building a house, the benefits of landscape design plans aren’t as readily appreciated. A home can collapse if not adequately planned. A tree planted in the wrong location can crush home and tear up driveways and water and sewer lines. Landscape planning should be as simple or complex as needed to accomplish your goals. Typically the more time spent thoughtfully considering the details of your landscape and creating a plan to implement means more enjoyment in your outdoor living space with fewer headaches and costly unwanted surprises.
Weather:Prepare for the worst and hope for the best Spring ever!
Jacksonville’s rainfall totals for March 2022 were something for the record books with 9.95 inches of precipitation, three times the average rainfall for the month. That was the 6th highest amount of rainfall for March in 150 years. March rains made up for the precipitation shortfall from the driest Winter (Dec.-Feb.) in a decade that temporarily at least dampened concerns over drought conditions and wildfires. However, the threat of drought is never far off in Northeast Florida, considering our well-draining sandy soils dry out fast.
In March, the cool nights prevented the fungus damage that would have followed from warmer nighttime temperatures later in the Spring and Summer. However, roses and many other plants in the area are exhibiting the black spot symptoms of fungus. Organic home remedies for Rose Black Spot fungus, Diplocarpon rosae include a combination of a tablespoon of baking soda, white vinegar, and horticultural oil in a gallon of water to use as a foliar spray. Diluted Hydrogen Peroxide solution such as one tablespoon (for 3%) or 1/4 teaspoon (for 35%) in a cup of water can treat Diplocarpon, and other fungi such as that found on milkweed weed leaves. Commercially available ready mix fungal treatments worth considering include Fertilome Liquid Systemic Fungicide.
Water As Needed
April’s average rainfall total is 2.93 inches. Abide by your municipal water restrictions, which in Duval County allows for twice-per-week irrigation during Spring and Summer with additional watering for new landscapes, and unlimited hand watering. Xeriscaping with native plants and those with low watering requirements conserves water, saves you time and money, and reduces concerns associated with high-maintenance plants requiring frequent watering.
Tend To Your Soil
Periodically have soil samples tested to know the pH and other factors that impact your plant’s ability to grow and flourish. Periodic soil aeration and nutrient enrichment with a top dressing reduces compaction and stormwater runoff, and increases plants’ nutrient uptake. Poor drainage conditions threaten the structural integrity of structures and increase the risk of fungus, root rot, and choking off the oxygen supply to beneficial microbes in the soil. Earth Works provides aeration and top dressing services, products, and a wide range of drainage solutions.
What Can I Plant in April?Essentially Everything!
Unlike other seasons which don’t provide optimum conditions for planting, the Spring season is Go Time for almost everything you’d want to plant or transplant. Plant your favorite perennials and include Spring annuals for an extra dose of seasonal color. The moderate morning low temperatures and afternoon highs provide the ideal conditions to safely plant palms, trees, shrubs, vines, and flowering plants, fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
Lawn and Garden Fertilization
Fertilize only when your lawn turf is actively growing. Our warmer temperatures of April are perfect for doing so. Consider our blog on the use of Weed and Feed products.
Fertilize ahead of June through Sept nitrogen fertilization blackout periods that are in place for many Florida counties. Duval County does not prohibit nitrogen fertilization during the rainy season. Still, it is less effective due to runoff resulting in water pollution, algae blooms, and fish kills.
Lawn Weed & Pest Control
Pre and Post emergent lawn pest and weed control products are part of our lawn care maintenance programs that do-it-yourself property owners and gardeners likewise do. There are separate categories of weeds, including cold and warm-season varieties and those that thrive in wet and-or dry environments that may be present at any given time on a property. The treatment protocols to deal with all these factors are complex. Likewise, the prevalence of lawn pests such as chinch bugs and sod webworms is weather and soil-condition-dependent. We strongly recommend homeowners consider professional lawn maintenance such as ours for your ongoing weed and lawn pest control needs.
Visit the Earth Works Garden Center for Saturday Sip & Shop from 10AM-3PM for more lawn and garden tips and speak with one of our designers over a complimentary beverage. And for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works Gardens hosts Jacksonville’s Saturday Sip & Shop gardening events each week during Spring 2022. Are you looking for a place to take your mind off of all the stress of the week? Relax with a drink while you shop and find your Happy Place at the corner of Beach and Kernan. Don’t miss out on this beautiful outdoor shopping experience at Earth Works Gardens. Grab a drink and do some shopping at Jacksonville’s Saturday Sip & Shop Gardening Event!
Find your happy place at Jacksonville’s Saturday Sip & Shop Gardening Event at Earth Works Gardens from 10AM-3PM.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works invited all plant-loving gardeners in Northeast Florida to our Jacksonville House Plant Social held on Friday April 22, 2022. The event was billed as your opportunity to learn tips and tricks to green up your thumb and get exclusive event savings while mixing and mingling with fellow plant geeks.
Matthew Barlow gave a Houseplant Talk that is available in video below. We served appetizers, and drinks, and provided a 20% discount on all house plants for ticket holders. Tickets for the Jacksonville House Plant Social were $20 and available online and at Earth Works Gardens.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Water lilies add beauty and ecological benefits to ponds and have been of cultural and religious significance for thousands of years. Water lilies were depicted in the art of the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and among the images of gods worshiped by the Mayans of Central America. Water lilies have symbolic meaning in Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Considered treasures of Western art French Artist Claude Monet featured water lilies in hundreds of his impressionist paintings.
Due to water lily popularity groups exist such as the International Water Lily & Water Garden Society, which has been holding water lily competitions for decades. The next IWGS water lily competition is scheduled at their annual symposium this year at Naples Botanical Gardens with over 40 hybridizers from nearly a dozen countries expected to show hundreds of varieties. An award at the IWGS competition suggests great value for the new water lily cultivar.
Although water lilies contain a toxic alkaloid, as do elephant ears, it is neutralized when boiled. Known as Shapla in Bangladesh, where water lilies are the national plant, they are enjoyed in curry recipes. Water lilies believed medicinal benefits including regulating insulin levels and promoting liver health are the subject of ongoing investigation.
Water lilies are a food source for wildlife and provide protective cover, help cool water temperatures, and absorb water-polluting nutrients. Organic debris, including fish food, animal, and plant waste, accumulate in ponds and are broken down by nitrifying bacteria making nitrogen available to plants in a process called nitrogen fixation as part of the nitrogen cycle. “Excessive inputs of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) trigger eutrophication of the water bodies, which promotes the undesirable growth of algal bloom and deterioration of the water quality, and aquatic biodiversity,” according to the Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Journal. “Water lily (Nymphaea) is largely used as an ornamental plant for landscaping, and it has been documented that water lily possesses the potentiality in mitigating polluted aquatic environments.” These same scientists documented an increase in dissolved oxygen concentration in the aquatic environment attributable to water lilies. Dissolved oxygen is critical to animal life in ponds and in short supply as pond water temperature increases during the warm months making water lilies a beneficial addition.
Considering lawn and garden fertilization is a source of waterway pollution and fish kills how does one fertilize their precious marginals and water lilies without harming wet pets such as koi and goldfish? Slow-release tablets containing the necessary nutrition for plant growth and increasing bloom potential have been developed. We recommend slow-release PondMax – AquaBloom Aquatic Plant Food for water lily fertilization, which provides nutrients for plant health and flower formation. Simply press the Aquabloom Aquatic Plant Food tablets into the aquatic plant media or soil.
Although there are three genera in the water lily family Nymphaeaceae varieties typically marketed as Hardy & Tropical are of the genus Nymphaea and their hybrids. They reproduce via seeds, tubers, and viviparously. For starting your seeds, tubers, or transplants you’ll want and appropriate aquatic plant media or soil. Potting soil would be inappropriate. We recommend and stock Aquascapes Pond Plant Potting Media. It’s free of peat, compost, fertilizers, and pesticides that could cloud the water and harm animals in your pond. We additionally stock floating planters, which is a popular technique to stabilize the lily tuber and roots within the basking allowing the pad and flower portions of the plant to move about the pond.
We provide a stock of fully developed already blooming hardy and tropical water lilies sourced from Holt Nurseries for your viewing pleasure and purchase at Earth Works Gardens nursery in Jacksonville. Stop in and see them for yourself and take your favorites home.
https://youtu.be/26-evpWdMbE
For all your water gardening needs and comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712 or visit us at the Earth Works Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville. We also build water gardens, provide hardscaping, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Our March Container Gardening Recipe is Colors For Peace and you don’t have to wait for your sunflowers to bloom to show your colors of support! Try this sunny yellow and blue container garden recipe. These springtime favorites are in bloom at the garden center right now. And for your landscape, Blue Plumbago and Lantana New Gold or Sunshine Ligustrum with Blue My Mind down in front make great combinations.
1. Gazania’s large bright blooms look like miniature sunflowers.
2. African Iris will thrill with its tall grass and springtime blue, yellow, and white blooms.
3.Merconia Gold Dust is a nice texture change with their dainty flowers.
4. Kalancho is so beautiful and bright, filling in perfectly.
5. Blue my Mind is a perennial favorite that will perform well in pots!
This sunny annual garden favorite has meant many things to many cultures throughout the centuries and worldwide. Today it is gaining deeper meaning from our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a global symbol of resistance, unity, and hope.Learn more!
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
In the news today is the sunflower story as a symbol of hope, unity, and resistance although the sunflower has a long history of cultural meaning.
This sunny annual garden favorite has meant many things to many cultures throughout the centuries and worldwide. Today it is gaining deeper meaning from our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a global symbol of resistance, unity, and hope. Here are some of the many diverse meanings attributed to this spectacular flowering specimen throughout history. The scientific name for the sunflower is Helianthus. It comes from the Greek words “helios,” meaning sun, and “Anthus,” meaning flower.
According to some, the ancient Greeks believed that sunflowers turned towards the sun because the nymph Clytie adored Apollo, the God of the Sun. At first, he loved her too, but then he turned his affections towards another nymph. Clytie told the other nymph’s father in a jealous rage, and he buried her alive as punishment. Outraged, Apollo turned Clytie into a sunflower, but her love for him was so strong she watched him move across the sky each day – just as sunflowers follow the sun. This story adds adoration and loyalty to the list. The sunflower story origins were here in the Americas between 1000-5000 years ago; the Native Americans cultivated this crop and viewed sunflowers as symbols of harvest and abundance with their bounty to hunters and gatherers centuries ago. With the discovery of the new world, the sunflower’s popularity spread throughout Europe. And it soon became a favorite subject, even the obsession of many impressionist painters.
The flower symbolizes good fortune, longevity, and everlasting joy in China. When wishing someone good luck or to express happiness for an accomplishment, the Chinese often give sunflowers. One of the sunflower’s recent and most significant and critical symbolic meanings is having a nuclear-free world. On June 1, 1996, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. Celebrating the occasion, the defense ministers from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine planted Sunflowers. They scattered Sunflowers seeds to represent a world of peace, hope, and freedom from any dangerous nuclear weapons. U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry said, “Sunflowers instead of missiles in the soil would ensure peace for future generations.”
More than just a symbol against nuclear, the flowers absorb harmful toxic elements and radiation from the soil and clean up the environment. They were planted on an old Ukrainian missile base and grew across nuclear disaster sites like Fukushima, Chernobyl, and Hiroshima.
DID YOU KNOW
Sunflowers are heliotropic. Heliotropism refers to species that follow the sun’s movement as it travels across the sky. In its early stages, the buds and leaves of the sunflower display this behavior. Once the head of the plant has come into full bloom, it remains fixed facing towards the east where the sun rises. Each sunflower is actually thousands of teeny flowers. The iconic yellow petals and fuzzy brown centers are actually individual flowers themselves. As many as 2,000 can make up the classic sunflower bloom.
A dried sunflower makes a unique, natural bird feeder. Feathered friends love to snack on sunflower seeds just like you do. Each sunflower can contain as many as 1,000 to 2,000 seeds. So there are tons for birdies to munch on! But you can harvest and roast them for yourself, too. The tallest sunflower on record was over 30 feet tall. Coming in at 30-feet, 1-inch, the bloom was grown in Germany by Hans-Peter Schiffer, who has held the record twice before. You should harvest sunflowers in the morning, not the afternoon. Planning to clip a few to display in a vase? If you wait until the afternoon, they may wilt. To learn more about the sunflower story and how to grow them check out this great video by Epic Gardening.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
